I got this for the two stereo mixes as I don't do multi-channel playback. Both sound great as you would expect (I only have the 1996 Bob Ludwig SBM CD to use for reference).

But it's the new instrumental version of BIA that's the revelation here for me, not just because it's never been heard before, but because of the vocal layers peeled away shows up the incredible playing of everyone, both band and session guys, so very clearly now... The bass guitar on 'One World' for example absolutely jumps out at you... I thought it would be a bit of a difficult listen, a bit of a novelty, but credit to Guy Fletcher for creating such an interesting and coherent listening experience in itself - even folded down to 2.0 from Atmos it sounds wonderful too.

Both stereo mixes on the Blu Ray (LP & CD mix) sound fantastic. The CD mix is ever so slightly dynamically compressed but it has a touch more power than the LP mix.

The original LP mix is obviously the original master used to cut the original vinyl from and looking at the waveforms in Audacity confirms no sign of limiting what so ever and there are a few isolated instantaneous peaks.

Where the original CD mix here originates from is less obvious as the original 1985 CD had no limiting applied to it, but looking at the waveforms in Audacity confirms limiting/compression. So what we have here is a remaster of the CD mix in some form, it’s clearly not the original CD master.

So what do we know:

Paul Sinclair stated on SDE.com in the comments section to the Blu Ray release that the original 1985 CD mix included was remastered by Miles Showell. The only remastering done by Miles was the 2021 (2 disc) and 2025 (5 disc) vinyl reissues both of which use the extended CD mix cut across 2 discs.

The Blu Ray Original CD mix is either the Miles’s 2021 or the Miles 2025 remaster he subsequently used to cut the vinyl from. Of course both the 2021 & 2025 vinyl could have been cut from the same 2021 digital master done by Miles and this would make sense as I would be very surprised if Miles actually remastered the main album again in 2025 (given the lengths he went to in 2021) so the Blu Ray CD mix is probably Miles’s 2021 remaster.

In 2021 Miles did confirm he used some subtle dynamic analogue compression on his 2021 remaster and this aligns with the waveform.

Either way the CD mix on the Blu Ray does have some subtle compression/limiting (no question here) and we know that it is a Miles remaster used to cut vinyl from. We just don’t know whether the CD mix on the Blu Ray was used to cut the 2021 and/or the 2025 vinyl.

Guy Fletcher has confirmed that Miles did the remaster of the 40th anniversary 5 disc set but we don’t know if Miles just reused his 2021 remaster for the main album 2 discs.

The original CD mix on the Blu Ray should be labelled as remastered by Miles Showell either 2021 or 2025 and this master is only available on vinyl and Blu Ray.

Superb pressing! Vinyl is flat and quiet with absolutely no distortion. The treble and mid-range are detailed and transparent. The bass is deep and tight -- punches with authority. Of note, because the album is two records pressed on 45 rpm, the full version studio tracks are included as opposed the edited tracks on the 33 rpm single record. I remain very impressed with the Abbey Road Half-Speed Master vinyl pressings. They rank among the best pieces in my collection. Highly recommended!

It's worth noting that the original CD mix on here is a different mastering than the one on the 3CD/streaming. The 3CD is significantly more compressed/less dynamic than how it appears here.

Blew me away from the very first listen! Multichannel mix is superb as is the stereo one.

You can still buy https://discogs.cinepelis.org/release/34036421-Dire-Straits-Brothers-In-Arms online for £25 plus P&P.

Live album is poorly mastered. Hi Hat sound too loud..

The main album sounds super compressed and dull. The live stuff is very dynamic though.

Welp the Dire Straits box sets have been great so far but this one is a disaster on CD/streaming. This version is quite compressed and dull sounding. In fact, it's second lowest dynamic version of this album (the least dynamic being the 2005 CD).

Every other CD master of this album sounds so much better that it's comical. Which is a shame because it deserved so much more. I've never heard a bad sounding version of this album but they pulled it off... It seems to be a decision from UMG because Miles Showell also mastered the vinyl set and Blu-ray and they sound fantastic.

The snare doesn't stand out like it's supposed to and the percussion on Ride Across the River sounds unexpressive and plain. Dissapointed.

The live stuff is uncompressed but can be a bit dull at times (although still pretty good for what it is). If you want the live stuff, get this set but play a different CD for the main album.

Disappointed with the inner sleeves which are wrinkled due to the glue used to secure the inner plastic.
It’s a 130€ not a 30€ box. Please.